Best TV History & Criticism Books
Here you will get Best TV History & Criticism Books For you.This is an up-to-date list of recommended books.
1. Ticking Clock: Behind the Scenes at 60 Minutes
Author: by Ira Rosen
English
336 pages
1250756421
Two-time Peabody Award-winning writer and producer Ira Rosen reveals the intimate, untold stories of his decades at America’s most iconic news show. It’s a 60 Minutes story on 60 Minutes itself. When producer Ira Rosen walked into the 60 Minutes offices in June 1980, he knew he was about to enter television history.
His career catapulted him to the heights of TV journalism, breaking some of the most important stories in TV news. But behind the scenes was a war room of clashing producers, anchors, and the most formidable 60 Minutes figure: legendary correspondent Mike Wallace.
Based on decades of access and experience, Ira Rosen takes readers behind closed doors to offer an incisive look at the show that invented TV investigative journalism. With surprising humor, charm, and an eye for colorful detail, Rosen delivers an authoritative account of the unforgettable personalities that battled for prestige, credit, and the desire to scoop everyone else in the game.
As Mike Wallace’s top producer, Rosen reveals the interview secrets that made Wallace’s work legendary, and the flaring temper that made him infamous. Later, as senior producer of ABC News Primetime Live and 20/20, Rosen exposes the competitive environment among famous colleagues like Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters, and the power plays between correspondents Chris Wallace, Anderson Cooper, and Chris Cuomo.
2. Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business
Author: by Neil Postman
Penguin Books
English
208 pages
What happens when media and politics become forms of entertainment? As our world begins to look more and more like Orwell’s 1984, Neil’s Postman’s essential guide to the modern media is more relevant than ever.”It’s unlikely that Trump has ever read Amusing Ourselves to Death, but his ascent would not have surprised Postman.
CNNOriginally published in 1985, Neil Postman’s groundbreaking polemic about the corrosive effects of television on our politics and public discourse has been hailed as a twenty-first-century book published in the twentieth century. Now, with television joined by more sophisticated electronic mediafrom the Internet to cell phones to DVDsit has taken on even greater significance.
Amusing Ourselves to Death is a prophetic look at what happens when politics, journalism, education, and even religion become subject to the demands of entertainment. It is also a blueprint for regaining control of our media, so that they can serve our highest goals.
A brilliant, powerful, and important book. This is an indictment that Postman has laid down and, so far as I can see, an irrefutable one. Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post Book World
3. The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s: An Oral History
Author: by Andy Greene
B07VN1XCBH
Dutton (March 24, 2020)
March 24, 2020
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERThe untold stories behind The Office, one of the most iconic television shows of the twenty-first century, told by its creators, writers, and actors When did you last hang out with Jim, Pam, Dwight, Michael, and the rest of Dunder Mifflin?
It might have been back in 2013, when the series finale aired … Or it might have been last night, when you watched three episodes in a row. But either way, long after the show first aired, it’s more popular than ever, and fans have only one problemwhat to watch, or read, next.
Fortunately, Rolling Stone writer Andy Greene has that answer. In his brand-new oral history, The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s, Greene will take readers behind the scenes of their favorite moments and characters. Greene gives us the true inside story behind the entire show, from its origins on the BBC through its impressive nine-season run in America, with in-depth research and exclusive interviews.
4. Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American
Author: by Daniel de Visé
B00UDCNLGA
Simon & Schuster
English
A lively and revealing biography of Andy Griffith and Don Knotts, this humorous, informative, and poignant book celebrates the powerful real-life friendship behind one of America’s most iconic television programs and shows how the magic was created (Library Journal). Andy Griffith and Don Knotts first met on Broadway in the 1950s.
When Andy moved to Hollywood to film a TV pilot for a comedy about a small-town sheriff, Don called to ask if Andy’s sheriff could use a deputy. The friendship and comedy partnership between Sheriff Andy Taylor and Deputy Barney Fife ignited The Andy Griffith Show, elevating the folksy television sitcom into a timeless study of human friendship.
Together, they created a program with a uniquely small-town dynamic that captured the hearts of Americans across the country who watched these two men rocking on the front porch, meditating about the pleasure of a bottle of pop. But behind this sleepy charm, de Vis’s exclusive reporting captures the complexity of both men and the intimacy of their friendship with extreme detail and sensitivity (Publishers Weekly), from unspoken rivalries, passionate affairs, unrequited loves, struggles with the temptations of fame, and friendships lost and regained.
5. The Late Shift: Letterman, Leno, & the Network Battle for the Night
Author: by Bill Carter
B07XL59Z6Y
October 15, 2019
English
New York Times Bestseller: A gripping true story of late-night comedy and behind-the-scenes drama (Los Angeles Times). When beloved host Johnny Carson announced his retirement after thirty years on The Tonight Show, millions of Americans mourned. But inside the television industry, the news ignited a battle between two amazing talentsJay Leno and David Lettermanwho both yearned to occupy the departing legend’s chair.
For NBC, it would be a decision with millions of dollars at stake. Soon these two comedians with strikingly different styles, who had once shared a friendship as they worked the clubs together, would be engaged in a fierce competition for the prize.
Based on in-depth reporting and interviews with those involved, and updated with a new introduction by the author, The Late Shift is a vivid, behind-the-scenes, blow-by-blow account of the fight that ensued, as stars, agents, and executives maneuvered for control of the most profitable program in TV history (Chicago Tribune).
6. The Sopranos Sessions
Author: by Matt Zoller Seitz
English
464 pages
1419734946
On January 10, 1999, a mobster walked into a psychiatrist’s office and changed TV history. By shattering preconceptions about the kinds of stories the medium should tell, The Sopranos launched our current age of prestige television, paving the way for such giants as Mad Men, The Wire, Breaking Bad, and Game of Thrones.
As TV critics for Tony Soprano’s hometown paper, New Jersey’s The Star-Ledger, Alan Sepinwall and Matt Zoller Seitz were among the first to write about the series before it became a cultural phenomenon. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the show’s debut, Sepinwall and Seitz have reunited to produce The Sopranos Sessions, a collection of recaps, conversations, and critical essays covering every episode.
Featuring a series of new long-form interviews with series creator David Chase, as well as selections from the authors’ archival writing on the series, The Sopranos Sessions explores the show’s artistry, themes, and legacy, examining its portrayal of Italian Americans, its graphic depictions of violence, and its deep connections to other cinematic and television classics.
7. I'm Judging You
Author: by Luvvie Ajayi
Holt (September 13, 2016)
English
254 pages
“A truth-riot of a book!”Shonda RhimesNew York Times Bestseller#1 Washington Post BestsellerRedbook 20 Books By Women You Must Read this Fall GoodHousekeeping. Com 17 New Best New Books to Read This FallBookRiot 100 Must-Read Hilarious BooksGoodreads Choice Awards FinalistNow in development with “Shondaland” and ABC Signature Studios as cable television seriesComedian, activist, and hugely popular culture blogger at AwesomelyLuvvie.
Com, Luvvie Ajayi, serves up necessary advice for the masses in this hilarious book of essaysWith over 500,000 readers a month at her enormously popular blog, AwesomelyLuvvie. Com, Luvvie Ajayi is a go-to source for smart takes on pop culture. I’m Judging You is her debut book of humorous essays that dissects our cultural obsessions and calls out bad behavior in our increasingly digital, connected lives.
It passes on lessons and side-eyes on life, social media, culture, and fame, from addressing those terrible friends we all have to serious discussions of race and media representation to what to do about your fool cousin sharing casket pictures from Grandma’s wake on Facebook.
8. ABC News: 75 Years in the Making
Author: by John Baxter
English
224 pages
1368054862
A deluxe 224-page gift book celebrating the history and achievements of ABC News. Filled with photos of famous faces, newsworthy events, and spotlights on key on-air personalities, this beautiful coffee table book commemorates 75 years of ABC News excellence.
9. Golden Girls Forever: An Unauthorized Look Behind the Lanai
Author: by Jim Colucci
Harper Design
English
368 pages
New York Times bestsellerThe complete, first-ever Golden Girls retrospective, packed with hundreds of exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes and never-before-revealed stories, more than two hundred color and black-and-white photos, commentary, and more. They were four women of a certain age, living together under one roof in Miamismart and strong Dorothy, airhead Rose, man-hungry belle Blanche, and smart-mouthed matriarch Sophia.
They were the Golden Girls, and for seven seasons, this hilarious quartet enchanted millions of viewers with their witty banter, verve, sass, and love, and reaffirmed the power of friendship and family. Over thirty years after it first aired, The Golden Girls has become a cult classic, thanks to fan fiction, arts and crafts, podcasts, hundreds of fan blogs and websites, and syndication.
Now, Golden Girls Forever pays homage to this wildly popular, acclaimed, and award-winning sitcom. Drawing on interviews with the show’s creators, actors, guest stars, producers, writers, and crew members, Jim Colucci paints a comprehensive portrait of the Girls both in front of the cameras and behind the scenes.
10. Family Don't End with Blood: Cast and Fans on How Supernatural Has Changed Lives
Author: by Lynn S. Zubernis
Smart Pop (May 9, 2017)
English
256 pages
How a Show, and the Support of Its Fandom, Changedand SavedLives Supernatural, a three-time People’s Choice Award winner for Favorite Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Show and Tumblr’s 2015 Most Reblogged “Live Action TV,” has made a name for itself by supporting and encouraging its fans to “always keep fighting,” and a memorable line from early in the show’s run, “Family don’t end with blood,” became an inspiring mantra for many who found community in the fandom.
In 25 powerful chapters written by Supernatural’s actors and fans, including series lead Jared Padalecki, plus special messages from Jensen Ackles, Misha Collins, and Mark Sheppard, Family Don’t End with Blood: Cast and Fans On How Supernatural Has Changed Lives examines the far reach of the show’s impact for more than a decade.
Supernatural has inspired fans to change their lives, from getting “sober for Sam” to escaping a cult to pursuing life-long dreams. But fans aren’t the only ones who have been changed. The actors who bring the show to life have also found, in the show and its community, inspiration, courage, and the strength to keep going when life seemed too hard.
11. He-Man and She-Ra: A Complete Guide to the Classic Animated Adventures
Author: by James Eatock
English
592 pages
1506700640
From 1983 to 1986, He-Man and his twin sister She-Ra entranced a generation of boys and girls all around the word with their animated adventures, offering not only cartoon excitement, but also important moral guidance. Now, Dark Horse Books is proud to present the first ever official companion to the classic series, featuring over 500 pages of fascinating story synopses, animation process, and trivia for every single episode of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and She-Ra: Princess of Power!
12. Live From New York: The Complete, Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live as Told by Its Stars, Writers, and Guests
Author: by Tom Shales
Back Bay Books
English
800 pages
James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales’s definitive oral history of Saturday Night Live, hailed as “incredible” (Vulture) and “required reading” (People). When first published to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Saturday Night Live, Live from New York was immediately proclaimed the best book ever produced on the landmark and legendary late-night show.
In their own words, unfiltered and uncensored, a dazzling galaxy of trail-blazing talents recalled three turbulent decades of on-camera antics and off-camera escapades. Now decades have passed, and bestselling authors James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales have returned to Studio 8H.
Over more than 100 pages of new material, they raucously and revealingly take the SNL story up to the present, adding a constellation of iconic new stars, surprises, and controversies.
13. Star Trek: Light-and-Sound Communicator (RP Minis)
Author: by Chip Carter
RP Minis
English
48 pages
Star Trek fans and collectors will love this one-of-a-kind, mini-size collectible communicator with light and sound. The communicator is used for voice communication and serves as an emergency-signaling device for Starfleet. Kit includes a replica of the iconic communicator, with light and sound, and a 48-page book on the history of communicators, complete with full-color photos.
14. Confessions of a Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated
Author: by Alison Arngrim
0061962155
It Books
English
Confessions of a Prairie Bitch is Alison Arngrim’s comic memoir of growing up as one of television’s most memorable charactersthe devious Nellie Oleson on the hit television show Little House on the Prairie. With behind-the-scenes stories from the set, as well as tales from her bohemian upbringing in West Hollywood and her headline-making advocacy work on behalf of HIV awareness and abused children, Confessions of a Prairie Bitch is a must for fans of everything Little House: the classic television series and its many stars like Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert; Gilbert’s bestselling memoir Prairie Tale…
And, of course, the beloved series of books by Laura Ingalls Wilder that started it all.
15. Habitat for Humanity How to Build a House Revised & Updated(Habitat for Humanity)
Author: by Larry Haun
1561589675
Taunton Press
English
Price:
$27.14
as of Jul 13, 2021
(9:09 pm)
Since its founding in 1976, the non-profit Habitat for Humanity International has built more than 255,000 houses for more than one million people and families in need world wide. First published in 2002, Habitat for Humanity How to Build a House has helped thousands more build simple, energy-efficient homes of their own by helping guide them from foundation to roof, through all interior finishes and fixtures.
Written by long-time carpenter and Habitat volunteer, Larry Haun, this extensive revision features up-to-date information on residential codes, construction methods, and materials – as well as an updated design inside and out. Haun also provides new sections on tools, siding, ventilation, and landscaping.
With clear information on everything from obtaining a site and permit to finishing touches like installing door locks and cabinets, this is the best single-volume resource for the beginning homebuilder.
